AMERICAN GOLDFINCH
(Part One) WINTER BIRD FEEDING
Easy to recognize, The American Goldfinch
is a small bird in the finch family.
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impossible to miss, a male goldfinch is stunning in his summer mating colors. |
During the summer the male is bright
yellow with black wings, a tail with white markings, and a black forehead. The
female is olive green with black wings, a tail with white feathers and she has
no marking on her forehead. She can been identified from other yellow birds by
her short bill. In winter both sexes look like the summer female and the male
loses his forehead patch.
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The female, although duller than the male is a beautiful finch with olive green plumage and her black and white wings and tail. |
The Goldfinch has a large range from
Southern Canada to Mexico. Although some migrate south, many Goldfinches
overwinter in our area where they flock together with Pine Siskin and Common Redpols.
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In winter Pine Siskens (top) and Common Redpolls (bottom) often join flocks of goldfinch competing for the same food. |
Goldfinches are almost
totally vegetarian only occasionally eating a few insects. Their diet consist
mainly of sunflower seeds, asters, composite plants such as coneflowers, and
"thistle" seeds.
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In this illustration by James Audubon, goldfinch feed on thistle seed. Thistle plays a major role in the life of goldfinches, most importantly are diet to nesting materials during mating season.. |
During the
winter months Goldfinch frequently visit backyard feeders, especially when the
ground is covered with snow. Goldfinches are attracted to black-oil, grey stripped
sunflower seeds, and are most attracted to 'nyjer' (niger)
seeds.
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Thistle feeders like the one above are a good long term investment. |
Nyjer seeds is commonly called thistle but
it is actually from a different plant grown in Africa, India and southeast
Asia. It is highly nutritional and is grown mainly for human consumption.
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Although commonly called "thistle" the seeds of the 'Nyjer" plants from Africa look similar, are easier to harvest and supply a high protein source of food attractive to the American Goldfinch. |
Because
of it size and shape there are many specialized thistle feeders on the market.
The tiny holes on these feeders prevent waste and stop other larger birds from
gobbling it up and scaring your Goldfinches away.
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Goldfinches shown here with their winter feathers will also come to less expensive fabric seeders. This feeders work well but have less durability over time. |
Well worth a onetime investment,
these feeders will last many years. There are also inexpensive cloth feeders
that can be purchased. During the depths
of winter these cautious birds will come to a thistle feeder attached to a
window.
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Window feeders give a close up view of goldfinches but be careful not to scare them away. These shy and timed birds may not come back. Place them in a window your cats cannot reach. |
Place you feeders in an area easy to view
from a window but close enough to evergreens for protection, and if need be a
quick escape. Sit back, stay warm and
enjoy your garden all long year.
Enjoy your garden all year long, James
